Fans Want Hockey to Return to Richmond

On Tuesday, a group of local hockey enthusiasts gathered at Capital Ale House in downtown Richmond to find a way to bring the hard-hitting sport on ice back to Richmond.

The group as a whole is associated with a Facebook page started by Alan Sams, appropriately titled, “Bring Hockey Back to Richmond.” Sams created the page in response to a number of hockey leagues passing over Virginia as a destination for a team.

“We didn’t get a team for three years, so I created a Facebook page in frustration,” Sams admitted. “After two years, the page starting getting a following.”

Within the past two weeks the page has gone from 1,500 likes, to just above 2,500. An estimated 150 hardcore hockey fans were in attendance.

The event included a panel of experts to perform a Q&A session with the attendees. One of the panelists was former Richmond Renegades owner Allan B. Harvie, Jr. He was blown away by the number of people who genuinely want to do something about the absence of a hockey team.

“They really want a team back here, they really want hockey back here and they really want to go out to do something to get it.” Harvie voiced his enthusiasm moving forward, saying, “It’ll be interesting to see where it goes from here.”

Many fans asked about how ticket sales would be handled, what to do about the condition of the Richmond Coliseum and whether or not it’s even feasible to generate enough backing to force the city’s hand. Ultimately, they all knew that meeting together and discussing the matter is a necessary step in the right direction.